CCSA allows schools to reopen for on-site study

WEDNESDAY, February 23, 2022

THE NATION

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Wednesday approved a proposal to open schools for on-site education.

For boarding schools, low-risk low-contact students, teachers and personnel will be able to attend on-site study normally but should use the Thai Save Thai app.

High-risk close-contact students, teachers and personnel will have to carry out activities in a quarantine zone called the Sandbox Safety Zone for seven days and monitor their symptoms for three days after that.

They will be tested on the fifth or sixth day and on the tenth day.

Any infected students, teachers or personnel at boarding or day schools will need to undergo school isolation organised by a public health service unit or a provincial communicable disease committee.

As this will be a test period, the CCSA meeting on Wednesday acknowledged Department of Health director-general Dr Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai’s proposal that students with mild symptoms could still take an examination but the venue should be well-ventilated.

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CCSA spokesperson Taweesin Visanuyothin said Covid-19 patients with no symptoms or mild ones could still study and sit for exams but they must be separated from others in a zone with maximum prevention measures.

The Education Ministry reported that of the 122 schools that reopened for the second semester, 28.7 per cent closed with only one confirmed case and 55.7 per cent were shut because of infections in more than one classroom. Meanwhile, 9 per cent were closed because of infections at nearby schools.